Electric gas-lighting apparatus.



No. 651,067. Patnted June 5, I900. w. E. cam.

ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTING APPARATUS. (Application filed Kay 5, 1 899.) (NoModel.) 2 S,heets-$heet I.

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7 Patented lune 5, 1900.

W. E. CRAM.

ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTING APPARATUS.

(Application filed May 5, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

\X/IEJESEES no WASHINGTON n. cy

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. CRAM, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC GAS-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,067, dated June 5,1900.

Application filed May 5, 1899. Serial No. 715,639. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. CRAM, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of l\lassachusetts,have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Gas-Lighting Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to electric gas-lighting apparatus of thekinddescribed in United States Letters Patent No. 599,121, granted to myselfand James H. L. Clegg February 15, 1898. Said patent describes a burnercomprising a magnet whose armature operates a vibratile electrode, acoacting electrode constructed as a thermostat, and a switch operated bythe turning of the burner plug or valve and included in anigniting-circuit with the two electrodes. The plug upon being 0peratedto turn the gas on closes the switch and starts the armature of themagnet in vibration, thereby causing a series of sparks, which ignitethe gas issuing from the orifice of the burner. The heat of thegas-flame thereupon expands the thermostat, breaking the circuitatthepoint ofsparking. The present invention has for its object to simplifyand improve the construction of the burner and of the switch inapparatus of the character specified; and to this end it consists in thenovel features of construction and arrangement, which I shall nowproceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation, withparts broken away and parts in section, of an incandescent gas-burnerprovided with a pilot-burner embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents aside elevation of the burner looking in a direction at right angles tothe foregoing view and showing also the gas-bracket, plug, and switch.Fig. 3 represents a diagram and sectional view showing the burner andswitch on an enlarged scale, together with their connections. Fig. 4represents a side elevationof the pilot-burner detached. Fig. 5represents alongitudin al sectional view through the plug and switch.Fig. 6 represents a view in side elevation, showing my invention appliedto an illuminating-burner. Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7 7 ofFig. 3 with parts omitted. Fig. 8 represents a detached view of part ofthe armature and eonnnocted portions.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

Referring first to the figures, with the eX- ception of Fig. 6, a is thearm of'a gas-bracket, b is the key, plug, or "alve thereof, and c is aburner of the incandescent type mounted on the end of the arm a andhaving the usual mantle 0, adapted to be heated to incandescence by theflame from the vBunsen burner inside of the mantle. Outside of themantle, in position to ignite the stream of gas issuing through themantle when the gas is first turned on, is located a pilot-burner d, fedthrough a bypass pipe d, branching from the main gas pipe or stem 0 ofthe incandescent burner. Said by-pass pipe supports a magnet diwhoselower pole-piece d is formed with a lug, into which the upper end of thepipe d is fitted, and the soft-iron core d of said magnet is hollow andconstitutes a gas duct or conduit connected with the interior of thepipe d by a short horizontal duct (1 bored through the pole-piece (F.

In the upper end of the hollow core at is fitted the gas-tip d, which ishollow and has an outlet-orifice d at its upper end. Said tip isinsulated from the core 61 by an insula tion 01 interposed between thetwo, and is connected with one end at of the winding of the magnet d asseen in Figs. 3 and 4E. The other end (Z of the magnet-winding isconnected with the switch, as hereinafter explained. At the upper end ofthe tip 01 in proximity to the gas-orifice, is an electrode (1preferably made of platinum to Withstand the heat, said electrodecoacting with a similar electrode (Z carried by a vibratile arm al inproducing a series of gas-igniting sparks when said arm is vibrated. Thearm (Z is riveted to the armature c1 of the magnet, which armatureextends vertically alongside of the magnet and is arranged to rock onthe lower corner 2 of the upper flange or pole-piece d of the magnet,said pole piece an abutment or bearing for a spring (1, riveted to thearmature c1 Said spring exerts a tension which normally moves the lowerend of the armature away from the lower pole-piece d" and the electrode(1 into contact with the electrode (Z The outward movement of thearmature due to the spring is limited by the head of a screw (1 passingthrough a buttonhole-slot (Z in the armature and screwing in thepole-piece (1 By adj usting this screw the throw of the armature may bevaried. There being no pintle in this construction journaling thearmature (1 said armature is held from longitudinal displacement bynotching the upper end of the spring (Z at the points (Z Fig. 8, andalso notching the outer edge of the slot (Z in the plate (7, at thepoint (1 Fig. 7. The edges of the notch in the plate normally enter thenotches in the spring, and thus retain the spring and armature in place.The armature is removed from its normal position by pressing the upperend of the spring (Z inwardly and exerting a downward pressure on thearmature until the adjusting-screw (Z enters the enlarged portion of thebuttonhole-slot (Z when the armature can be removed lfrom engagementwith said screw and the arm (7 withdrawn downwardly through the slot d.The armature is placed in posi tion by reversing the foregoingoperation.

The burner operates by having the terminal (Z of its magnet-windingconnected with one branch of an igniting-circuit and the gaspipe connected with the other terminal of said circuit. Said circuit being closedand the gas turned on through the burner, the magnet 61 will beenergized and its lower pole-piece (1 will attract the lower end of thearmature d moving the electrode (Z at the upper end of the arm (1 out ofcontact with the fixed electrode (Z thus breaking the circuit andcansing an igniting-spark above the gas-orifice (Z The circuit beingbroken, the armature is retracted under the influence of the spring (1and the circuit being again completed through the electrodes (Z (1' thearmature is again attracted, and in this way a succession ofigniting-sparks are produced which ignite the gas issuing from theorifice d and cause a flame to be produced thereat. By constructing thearm d of two strips of metal 3 and 4, having different coefficients ofexpansion, such as brass and steel, and placing the one having thegreater coefficient, as the brass, on the in side I make a thermostat ofthe said arm. The upper end of the arm is curved over toward thegas-jet, as shown in the drawings, and when it becomes heated by thegas-flame tends to straighten out and separate from the electrode (Z Assoon as this expansion takes place the igniting-circuit is broken andthe vibration of the arm 01 ceases. The sparking-points remain separatedas long as the flame exists, and if the flame is extinguished for anyreason while the igniting-circuit still remains closed at every pointexcepting between the sparking-points the upper end of the arm 61 willresume its normal position and the circuit will again be completedthrough the electrodes d c1 and sparking will again ensue, causing thegas to be reignited. The arm (1 is made resilient or springy, so as toyield to the action of the spring d on the armature, and by adjustingthe screw (1 to vary the throw of the armature one way or the other thelength of time during which the sparking action continues before theoperation of the thermostat causes it to cease may be varied.

A cylindrical casing d ineloses the body of the magnet (1 when thedevice is in use, and said casing is provided with a slot (Z at itslower end, through which access may be had to the head of the screw (Zthereby permitting said screw to be adjusted without removing thecasing. A screw (Z is provided in the by-pass pipe (1' for regulatingthe flow of gas therethrough.

Fig. 3 illustrates the arrangement of the switch and igniting-circuit,bymeans of which the above-described burner is operated. c and frepresent,respectively, the battery and spark-coil usually employed and connectedin a branch 9 in' the ignitingcircuit which extends from one of thecontact members of the switch it to the main gas-pipe, (represented by cin Fig. 3.) The construction of the switch 7b is as follows: It is ablock of insulating material-such as vulcanized fiber, hard rubber, orthe like-mounted above the plug or key at of the gas-bracket, theconnection being by means of a metal arm or plate 7L2, attached byascrew 7L3 to the block it and wired to the gas-bracket by a band 7t, ofwire, twisted around the casing b of the plug or valve and confining thehooked lower end of said arm 7L2. The lower portion of the block is cutaway, forming a flat or squared face 5, in the middle of which are arecess 6 and a projecting or overhanging flange 7. 71 is a metalcontactpiece attached bya screw it to one side of the block it andhaving a contacting end bent around onto the face 5 of the block. 71, isa spring-metal contact-arm attached by a screw h to the other side ofthe block and bent around in front of the contact-piece 7L5. A strip ofinsulating material h is attached to the inner face of thespring'eontact h by means of metal rivets 7t h the former of which isarranged to make contact with the contact-piece 7&5 to close theigniting-circuit. The ends of the contact-pieces 7L5 and Wand of theattachingarm 7L2 are all turned inwardly into grooves cut in the block7t, thus making their attachment secure. The two contacts h W areconnected with the respective branches g and (Z of the igniting-circuit,as shown. To operate the spring-arm 7L7 of the switch, I provide a cammember which is screwed into the upper end of the plugb in place of theordinary retaining-screw. 'i represents the cam member, having a lowerscrew-threaded portion 8 ITO screwed into the plug and having a lock-nutt", which screws down onto the washer b of the plug, an intermediate camportion 9, interposed between the spring-arm h and the block it andoccupying a recess 6 in said block, and an upper stem or journal 10,which has a bearing in a hole in the upper flange 7 of the block. Thecam 9 is set on the plug 1) so that when said plug is turned crosswiseof the bracket to turn off the gas the wide portion of the cam pressesagainst the inner face of the spring-arm k and moves the same out ofcontact with the contact-piece its, as represented in Fig. 3. WVhen theplug is moved to turn the gas on, the cam 9 assumes a position at rightangles to that described, as shown in Fig. 5, and allows the spring-armto moveinto contact with the piece 7L5 and close the ignitingcircuit. Assoon as this takes place the gas becomes automatically ignited at theburner, as hereinbefore described.

The style of the burner in connection with which myinvention is used isimmaterial, in-- asmuch as the invention can be applied equally well topilot-burners or illuminatingburners. Fig. 6 shows a side elevation ofan illuminating-burner having a tip (1 of the ordi-nary form applied toilluminating-burners, the construction being otherwise substantially thesame as that which I have described in connection with a pilot-burner.

I claim 1. A gas-burner having a gas-outlet, a contact member arrangedin proximity thereto, a magnet, an armature therefor, and a vibratorarranged to be operated by the movement of said armature and constructedas a thermostat, said vibrator being adapted to coact with the contactmember in producing a series of gas-igniting sparks and to be expandedby the heat of the gas-flame, so as to separate the sparking-points andkeep them separated during the existence of the flame.

2. A gas-burner having a gas-outlet, coacting members adapted to producea series of gas-igniting sparks in the vicinity of said orifice, one ofsaid members being constructed as a thermostat and one being resilient,a magnet having an armature which carries one of the members, a springarranged to throw the armature away from the magnet, and the sparkingmember carried thereby into contact with the other sparking member, andan adjusting-screw for regulating the outward throw of thearmature,whereby the duration of the sparking action may be varied.

A gas-burner having a gas-outlet, a-contact member arranged in proximitythereto, a magnet having a pole-piece and a flange, a vibratile armadapted to coact with the contact member in producing a series ofgas-igniti n g sparks, an armature carrying said arm and fulcrumed onthe edge of said flange, said armature having one end arranged in thevicinity of the pole-piece of the magnet and adapted to be attractedthereby when the magnet is energized, a spring attached to the armatureand adapted to retract the same, said spring having a notch, a stop forlimiting the retractive movement of the armature, and a fixed platehaving an abutment or bearing for the spring and a portion entering thenotch therein, whereby the armature and connected parts are held inplace.

4.. In electric gas lighting apparatus, a switch comprising a blockcomposed of insulating material, an arm attached thereto and adapted tobe secured to the gas-bracket in the vicinity of the plug, whereby saidblock may be positioned over the plug, a fixed contact carried by theblock, a spring-contact carried thereby, and a bearing in the block atone side of said contacts, adapted to receive the journal of a cammember connect ed with the plug for operating said springcontact.

5. In electric gas-lighting apparatus, a cam member for operating theswitch of an ignit ing-circuit, said member having a threaded portionadapted to be screwed into the plug of a gas-bracket in place of theusual retaining-screw, a nut on said threaded portion, an intermediatecam-shaped portion, and a journal at the other end of said member.

6. In electric gas-1i ghting apparatus, a gasbracket having a plug orvalve, a block composed of insulating material and attached by an arm tothe bracket in the vicinity of said plug and covering the end of saidplug, a stationary contact and a spring contactarm attached to saidblock, and a cam member screwed into the plug and having a cam portionoperating between said spring-arm and the block, and a journal occupyinga bearing in the block.

In testimony whereof I have aftixerl my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM E. CRAM.

WVitnesses:

I. W. PEZZETTI, A. D. HARRISON

